St. Mark's Bookshop
An independent Manhattan bookstore known for its curated selection of poetry, theory, art, design, film, and small-press publications.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
St. Mark's Bookshop was an independent bookstore in New York City's East Village, operating from 1977 until February 28, 2016. It was established on St. Mark's Place and took its name from that street, becoming a long-running cultural institution in a neighborhood associated with avant-garde art, music, publishing, and alternative political movements. The shop was operated by Bob Contant and Terry McCoy, who had previously worked at other independent bookstores including 8th Street Books and East Side Books. The store developed a reputation for maintaining a highly selective and intellectually oriented inventory rather than functioning primarily as a general-interest bookseller. Its stock included fiction, poetry, foreign-language titles, literary journals, periodicals, critical theory, cultural criticism, graphic design, art books, film studies, music, drama, women's studies, anarchist literature, and works relating to drugs. Small-press publications and poetry were especially prominent. The store also carried expensive illustrated and art books, which became an important source of revenue during its strongest period. Its unusual range and neighborhood-specific sensibility led observers to describe the selection as particularly suited to the East Village. St. Mark's first occupied 13 St. Mark's Place. In 1987 it moved across the street to 12 St. Mark's Place, a building originally associated with the Deutsch-Amerikanische Schuetzen Gesellschaft, or German American Shooting Society. It later relocated to a space below a Cooper Union dormitory at 31 Third Avenue near Stuyvesant Street. The Third Avenue shop was arranged with poetry and small-press books near the front, art books toward the rear, and an information desk. It also became known for an informal section sometimes called the “X case,” where frequently stolen works, including books by Charles Bukowski and William S. Burroughs, were kept under closer observation. At various times the shop included consignment stock and hosted or accommodated literary and cultural speakers. During the 1990s and 2000s, the business reportedly performed strongly, particularly on weekends. Its cultural profile was reinforced by visits from writers, artists, musicians, actors, and public intellectuals, and by appearances or events involving figures such as Jacques Derrida, Susan Sontag, Madonna, Philip Glass, Slavoj Žižek, and Michael Moore. Former employees included writers, artists, poets, philosophers, and performers, reflecting the store's role as both a retailer and a meeting point for New York's literary and creative communities. The business later faced a combination of high occupancy costs, declining sales, competition from internet retailers and digital media, and internal management problems. Accounts by a former employee described weak controls over purchasing, frequent returns, inadequate sales records, and the deletion of sales-history information, which made it difficult to determine which titles were selling and to manage inventory efficiently. The store's financial difficulties became publicly apparent in 2011. Customers organized an online petition asking Cooper Union to reduce the rent, attracting more than 40,000 signatures. A separate online fundraising effort in August 2012 raised more than $24,000, demonstrating the store's strong public support but not resolving its structural problems. In 2014, St. Mark's announced plans to leave the Third Avenue premises and move to a smaller space at 126 East Third Street, with the New York City Housing Authority as landlord. Clouds Architectural Office was commissioned to design the proposed new store, and an auction was held to help fund moving expenses. However, falling sales meant that the business could not sustain the rent at the new location. The shop ultimately closed on February 28, 2016. Its closure ended nearly four decades of independent bookselling in the East Village and illustrated the challenges faced by specialist bookstores confronting commercial rents, online competition, e-books, and operational constraints.
History
St. Mark's Bookshop was founded in 1977 in Manhattan's East Village by Bob Contant and Terry McCoy. The proprietors had experience at other independent bookstores and created a shop whose identity was closely tied to St. Mark's Place, the street on which it began. Rather than compete as a broad mass-market retailer, the store built its reputation around carefully chosen books in poetry, fiction, literary criticism, cultural theory, art, design, film, music, drama, women's studies, anarchist writing, and other subjects associated with the neighborhood's creative and intellectual life. The original premises were at 13 St. Mark's Place. In 1987, the store moved across the street to 12 St. Mark's Place, a building originally connected with the Deutsch-Amerikanische Schuetzen Gesellschaft, also known as the German American Shooting Society. Later, the owners moved again after being encouraged to take space below a Cooper Union dormitory on Third Avenue and Stuyvesant Street. The Third Avenue location became the store's best-known home and was laid out to emphasize browsing and discovery. Small-press poetry was displayed near the entrance, while large and expensive art books occupied tables toward the back. An information desk served as a focal point, and an “X case” was used for books that were particularly prone to theft. The shop also offered consignment material at certain periods. The bookstore enjoyed a prosperous period in the 1990s and 2000s. Weekend trade was strong, and sales of costly art books contributed significantly to its performance. Its reputation extended beyond ordinary retail: prominent writers, artists, musicians, actors, and public intellectuals visited, and the store hosted or made space for talks and appearances. Its former employees included people who later became notable in literature, art, philosophy, theater, and cultural writing. These connections helped establish St. Mark's as a recognizable East Village cultural venue as well as a bookseller. Its difficulties became evident in the following decade. Independent bookstores were under pressure from online retailers, large chains, e-books, and changing media habits, while Manhattan commercial rents continued to rise. St. Mark's also suffered from internal operational weaknesses. A former employee described an ordering system in which books were returned and reordered too rapidly, purchasing was insufficiently budgeted, freight costs were not properly considered, and sales records were deleted. These practices made inventory management difficult and contributed to the store's financial instability. In 2011, customers organized a petition urging Cooper Union to lower the rent. The petition collected more than 40,000 signatures. In August 2012, a separate internet funding campaign raised over $24,000. The store also explored digital commerce through a joint venture with OR Books, allowing OR Books to sell electronic media through the St. Mark's website. These initiatives showed attempts to adapt to new market conditions, but they did not reverse the underlying decline. In May 2014, the store announced plans to move from 31 Third Avenue to a smaller location at 126 East Third Street. The New York City Housing Authority was to be the landlord, and Clouds Architectural Office was commissioned to design the new space. An auction was organized to help pay moving expenses. However, declining sales left the business unable to afford the rent at the proposed premises. Cooper Union was itself experiencing financial pressure and began charging tuition in 2014 after a long history of tuition-free education, limiting the likelihood of a sustainable rent concession. St. Mark's Bookshop closed on February 28, 2016. The closure was attributed to the combined effects of rising rent, reduced sales, and management problems. Its disappearance marked the end of one of Manhattan's longest-running independent bookstores under its original ownership and was widely viewed as emblematic of the difficulties confronting specialist neighborhood booksellers in New York.
- 2016
Closure
[1]St. Mark's Bookshop ceased operations on February 28 after failing to overcome rent, sales, and management difficulties.
- 2014
Planned relocation
[1]The bookstore announced a move from 31 Third Avenue to a smaller space at 126 East Third Street, but the relocation was not completed.
- 2012
Online funding drive
[1]An online campaign raised more than $24,000 to support the store.
- 2011
Rent dispute and public financial campaign
[1]Customers petitioned Cooper Union to reduce the bookstore's rent after its financial problems became apparent.
- 1990
Period of strong trading
[1]The store experienced substantial commercial success during the 1990s and 2000s, helped in part by weekend traffic and sales of art books.
- 1987
Move to 12 St. Mark's Place
[1]The store moved across St. Mark's Place into a building associated with the German American Shooting Society.
- 1977
Bookshop founded in the East Village
[1]Bob Contant and Terry McCoy established St. Mark's Bookshop at 13 St. Mark's Place in Manhattan.
Products and positioning
A neighborhood-oriented independent bookstore with a specialized, culturally progressive inventory spanning literature, poetry, art, design, film, theory, politics, and small-press publishing.
Books
Poetry and small-press books
Poetry and publications from independent or small presses were central to the store's identity. These titles were prominently displayed and helped distinguish the shop from general-interest chains and online booksellers.
Books
Art and graphic-design books
The store maintained a notable selection of expensive illustrated books covering art, graphic design, and related visual culture. Sales of these books were an important contributor during the store's more prosperous years.
Books
Theory, criticism, and cultural studies
Its specialist inventory included critical theory, cultural criticism, film studies, women's studies, anarchist writing, music, drama, and other subjects associated with academic, political, and avant-garde cultural communities.
Books and periodicals
Fiction, periodicals, and foreign titles
Alongside its specialist material, St. Mark's carried curated fiction, literary journals, magazines, periodicals, and books from outside the United States, giving the store a broader literary range.
Marketing campaigns
- 2012Online fundraising drive
United States
Supporters used an online funding campaign to provide direct financial assistance to the bookstore.
Outcome. More than $24,000 was raised, but the funding did not prevent the eventual closure.
- 2011Petition for rent relief
United States
A patron-led online petition asked Cooper Union to reduce the rent charged to St. Mark's Bookshop. It attracted more than 40,000 signatures and reflected the store's importance to local customers.
Outcome. The campaign did not produce a lasting solution to the store's financial problems.
Brand decisions
2016
Decision to cease operationsOtherBackground
Rising occupancy costs, declining sales, online and digital competition, and internal management weaknesses left the bookstore unable to maintain a viable business.
Action taken
St. Mark's Bookshop closed permanently on February 28, 2016.
Aftermath
The closure ended almost four decades of independent bookselling by the original proprietors in Manhattan's East Village.
2014
Plan to relocate to a smaller storeStrategyBackground
The store faced high rent at its Third Avenue premises and declining sales, while its landlord was also dealing with financial pressure.
Action taken
Management announced plans to move to 126 East Third Street, a smaller location associated with the New York City Housing Authority, and commissioned a new design for the space.
Aftermath
The move was not completed because the business could not afford the rent at the proposed location. An auction was held to help cover moving costs, but the store closed in 2016.
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